Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d share a recipe for Franks-n-Beans. I didn’t think I’d ever serve my kids hot dogs. Really. That’s the honest truth. Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

Don’t let this post fool you – I haven’t had time to set up and shoot pics. I took these photos 16 months ago. Check out Nate’s tiny little hand and foot – he was helping me out; Luke was napping. We’ve had this meal over and over again – it just hasn’t made it here. Until now.

Today, I am so grateful for hot dogs. There are nights that dinner wouldn’t be served without them. It works. For some reason, kids love hot dogs. Maybe because they’re the perfect finger food. Maybe because they’re easy to chew. Maybe because they’re salty. I haven’t figured it out yet. But let me tell you, I can never get the franks on the boys’ plates fast enough.

Before I dropped a pack of hot dogs in my shopping cart, I did a little research. I opted for Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs. If I was serving hot dogs I wanted them to be healthier! These dogs are. Last week, I stumbled across Niman Ranch Fearless Franks. They were fabulous, too! The biggest difference is that the casing on the Niman Ranch Fearless Franks has a little more of a ‘snap’ when you bite into it. It’s a little chewier, too.

At some point I decided we needed a change from the plain old hot dog, which is where this recipe came from. My boys love beans. My boys love franks. Why not serve them in a kid-friendly dish with some tasty sauce, right? This momma makes one meal and we all eat it. So when I put Franks-n-Beans on the table, Joe and I chow down too. The kid in us can’t resist.

Add the bacon to a medium oven-safe skillet or dutch oven on medium heat. Cook the bacon until the fat starts to release; it should just be starting to cook and not crispy. (If you don't have an oven-safe skillet or dutch oven, you can cook in a pan and transfer to a casserole dish.)

Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes until translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato sauce and ketchup, then add the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, molasses, and coconut palm sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until coconut palm sugar is dissolved.

Add the hot dogs and beans. Cover and transfer oven.

Bake for 30 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve while hot.

When SweetLeaf asked me to work up a recipe using their stevia, I was excited because they have so many different flavors that I haven’t had a chance to play with. And, so many of you have asked me for more recipes using stevia exclusively. This forced me into the kitchen to recreate traditional textures and flavors without honey, coconut palm sugar, dates, or another unrefined sugar.

Let’s talk about the tart. The texture is smooth and fudgy. It melts in your mouth. Combined with the crunch of the pecans and the flakiness of the crust, I find it to be darn close to perfect.

The sweetness level is just right. There isn’t any stevia aftertaste in this tart. The trick to that is twofold – use just enough stevia to achieve the sweetness level you want and add some other ingredients to amp up the flavor. I used extra vanilla extract, espresso powder, and mesquite flour to add depth to the tart’s flavor and mask any lingering notes of stevia.

You should also note that when baking exclusively with stevia, you will have a more dense product because you can’t add air by creaming the fat and sugar. And, you need to use something to replace the body and moisture that sugar would provide. In this case, I found that unsweetened applesauce works perfectly.

Many of you will probably wonder if you really need to use two different Sweet Drops liquid stevia flavors. You could make this tart with just Chocolate or Vanilla Sweet Drops, but I found that the combination of the two produced the best flavor.
(...)Read the rest of Chocolate Fudge Pecan Tart for SweetLeaf Stevia

If ever there was a time to share a cookbook packed with healthy cookies, it’s now. From the middle of October until January 1st, we’re bombarded with decadent treats that do our weight and immune system no good.

Why not indulge in a holiday treat (or three…) and then appease your sweet tooth with a Super Healthy Cookie?

I’ve been hoarding this gem of a book for quite some time now. I know, it’s not fair of me to do such a thing. But I wanted to make sure I’d tried a good sampling of the recipes before sharing them with you.

First, though, let’s talk about these cookie dough squares. They are the perfect healthy treat. The dough is very much like a traditional raw cookie dough, without the eggs and sugar shock. Since these don’t require an oven, they’re no-fuss. Just mix, press, freeze, and cut. With just a little sweetener and lots of healthy fats, I was thrilled to see Nate snack on these mid-afternoon. And, I didn’t mind popping a few in my mouth either.

Pumpkin butter has been on my ‘to-make’ list for the last three years. And every year, the leaves would fall from the trees and the icy-cold months would show up and somehow the pumpkin butter never made it to the top of my list.

This year was different. And, gosh, am I thrilled! Better yet, you get to make it in your CrockPot. (Or slow cooker if that’s what you prefer to call it…)

Before I tell you how delicious it is – because I’ll get there – I’ll tell you to NOT base your opinion on this recipe when the pumpkin butter is still hot. It’s not that tasty. The flavor is there but the smooth, almost creamy-like texture doesn’t show up until the pumpkin butter has been chilled overnight.

If you look through most pumpkin butter recipes, they use apple juice. Apple juice has a nearly neutral flavor when used in desserts. Personally, I think you need a little orange with your pumpkin. It brightens the entire spread and makes it memorable and utterly delicious.
(...)Read the rest of Skinny Orange-Spiced Pumpkin Butter

When I grab a cookbook off my shelf to meal plan, find a dessert to make, or just cuddle up on the corner of my couch to read I always reach for one written by someone I want to bring into my kitchen.

You see, my kitchen is the heart of my home. It’s where my family gathers for meals, where Nate runs around and plays, it’s where friends sit down for a cup of coffee and warm cookies. It’s nothing short of being sacred. To be part of that space, you have to have the right energy. And I have to feel a heart connection to you.

There are a lot of cookbooks out there. And I’m sure there are a lot of great cookbooks that I’ve never picked up. But, all of the cookbooks that have been instrumental in creating a meal for someone I love have been written by someone who I’d want to spend time with. You see, that’s what you do when you cook from someone’s book. You’re spending time with them in the heart of your home. You’re creating their food which will nourish those you love most.

Ricki (author of the wildly popular blog, RickiHeller.com, formerly DietDessertNDogs.com) is a dear, dear friend of mine. And, before we were friends I loved her food. If you don’t already, you will too. She is not only ingredient conscious and uses no refined sugar, but she creates fabulous textures and flavors that are simply genius. (For those of you sensitive to gums, rejoice! Ricki uses psyllium husks in many recipes!)

The other thing you’ll want to know about her is that you can trust her recipes. Ricki embodies integrity so you know her recipes have been tested and retested.

Hop on over to Amazon and have a peek inside of Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free. The photos are gorgeous. The recipes will make you swoon. I know you’ll feel a heart connection with Ricki. She’s definitely someone you’ll want to spend some time with in your kitchen.